Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council January News & Events | |
Artists Tawney Alexander & Maureen Ashley Smith participate in Jacque VanRavenhorst's Free Branding Photography for Artists | |
SEMAC Spring Individual Artist Grant Application Due January 28, 2025 | |
Based on feedback from SEMAC's recent Needs Assessment Survey, a Letter of Intent is no longer required for Individual Artist grant applications. Full applications for Individual Artists and Culture Bearers opened on December 28. The final grant submission deadline is January 28, 2025. | |
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SEMAC Individual Artist Grants support your original work in Dance, Literary Arts, Music, Theatre, Visual Arts, and Interdisciplinary Projects. These grants offer $3,000 for emerging artists and $5,000 for advancing artists - no matching funds required. All grant programs include a Capstone event that is open to the public.
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January Opportunities to Learn About Grants and Grant Writing | |
SEMAC Presents: Individual Artist Grant Writing Workshop | |
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Thursday, January 9 | 6-8p
via Zoom
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Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council (SEMAC) is offering a free workshop on our grant opportunity for Individual Artists and Culture Bearers due on January 28th. This step-by-step workshop will be held on Thursday, January 9, from 6 - 8 p.m. CST via Zoom. It will be recorded to be shared with attendees as well as with anyone who is unable to attend. | |
Red Wing Arts Presents: ARTSpeak - Grants for Artists | |
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Tuesday, January 14 | 6:30-8p
Red Wing Arts Depot Gallery
Red Wing, MN
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Red Wing Arts is pleased to announce the relaunching of its monthly ArtSpeakprofessional development program in 2025!
Their first session explores artist grant opportunities. Learn directly from representatives of major Minnesota arts organizations about available funding opportunities and the application process.
Featured Panelists include Sharon Mansur, SEMAC's Outreach & Accessibility Manager; Bao Phi, Arts & Culture Program Officer, McKnight Foundation; and Adam Wiltgen, Program Officer, Minnesota State Arts Board.
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Minnesota State Arts Board & SEMAC Present:
Grant Application Workshop
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Saturday, January 18 | 1-2:30p
Owatonna Arts Center
Owatonna, MN
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SEMAC's Executive Director Anastasia Shartin and Outreach & Accessibility Manager Sharon Mansur.This workshop will focus on the basics of applying for a grant. Attendees will learn how to prepare an application, how applications are reviewed and scored, and hear tips from previous grantees. Attendees can also choose to reserve one-on-one time with Arts Board or SEMAC staff after the workshop. Among the presenting panelists will be SEMAC's Executive Director Anastasia Shartin and Outreach & Accessibility Manager Sharon Mansur, and MSAB's Outreach and Accessibility Coordinator Annick Dall-Desbois. | |
New Year, New Inspiration.
SEMAC's January Capstone events:
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Explore the SEMAC-funded capstone events happening this month: | |
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Lanesboro Arts' Rural Arts Production Training Program Performance Event
Saturday, January 4 | 7p
St. Mane Theatre
Lanesboro, MN
Join Lanesboro Arts for a free evening of live music featuring three local duos, each supported by student sound engineers in Lanesboro Arts' Rural Production Training Program. Drop by to enjoy the music and watch future audio pros in action!
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Comic Book about Zulu Southeast Minnesota Connection
Thursday, January 16 | 5p
Northfield Public LIbrary
Northfield, MN
Join artists Stephanie Cox and Chérif Kéita as they unveil a comic book series exploring the connection between Northfield, MN and Nokutela Mdima Dube - a forgotten South African activist who dedicated her life to her people's liberation.
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Table Read for
DS Birch Carlson Episode 2
Saturday, January 18 | 7-9p
Northfield Depot
Northfield, MN
Join writer/filmmaker Wendy Placko and guest artists for a live table read of DS Birch Carlson, episode 2. The new work is a comedic crime procedural set in Northfield, Minnesota.
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Guest Artist Recital:
Tony Ross and Gao Hong Duo -
Cello Meets Pipa
Sunday, January 19 | 3pm
Carlton College - Kracum Performance Hall
Northfield, MN
Celebrated pipa virtuoso Gao Hong and Minnesota Orchestra Principal Cellist Anthony Ross unite for an innovative East-meets-West musical collaboration. This unique work will blend traditional Chinese melodic influences with Western classical techniques, creating an innovative musical conversation between the ancient pipa and cello.
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The River Connects Us
Artist Reception
Sunday, January 19 | 1-4pm
Winona Arts Center
Winona, MN
Photographer Peter Mutschler explores the Mississippi River's soul through his lens, capturing its hidden cultures and timeless stories from Minnesota's headwaters to Louisiana's delta. His images reveal the river as more than a waterway—it's America's backbone, carrying our nation's commerce, history, and shared experiences along its mighty course.
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SEMAC Welcomes Melissa Wray to our Board of Directors | | |
Melissa Wray is the newest member to join the SEMAC Board of Directors and represents Houston County. | |
Rural community storytelling is at the heart of Melissa Wray’s creative practice, told through writing, textile art, and audio stories. Her artistic practice prompts her to stay curious and grow with the world around her. In addition to her own creative work, Melissa is the founding director of Mainspring – a nonprofit arts and cultural center in Caledonia, MN – and program director at the multidisciplinary rural arts organization Lanesboro Arts. She is a recipient of the 2022-24 Rural Regenerator Fellowship through Springboard for the Arts. Past creative projects include podcast producer of MinnePod and co-founder of grassroots literary community Hazel & Wren. Melissa holds a Masters in Arts and Cultural Leadership from the University of Minnesota. | |
SAVE THE DATE:
Arts Advocacy Day is March 4, 2025
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Make your voice heard for the arts! Join SEMAC and fellow arts advocates from across Minnesota for Arts Action Week, March 3rd-7th, 2025. The excitement kicks off online March 3rd, followed by an in-person rally at the State Capitol Rotunda on March 4th at 10 AM. | |
Thank You for Helping Shape the Future of Arts in Southeastern Minnesota! | |
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who shared their thoughts in our recent Needs Assessment Survey! We heard from 223 members of our wonderful arts community, and your insights are truly inspiring. We look forward to sharing the ways it will shape SEMAC's future services and programming. Curious about what we learned? Check out the complete survey results below. | |
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SEMAC is committed to building bridges and nurturing meaningful relationships. We are seeking artists, arts professionals, and arts enthusiasts to join our Arts Advisory Panel and Board of Directors. The Panel is responsible for reviewing grant applications and making funding recommendations to the Board.
If you or someone you know is interested in applying for these service opportunities, please follow these links for more information:
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SEMAC activities are made possible by the voters of Minnesota through grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts & cultural heritage fund. | | | | |
